Konoha Was No Longer the Konoha of Those Days

"What's the situation outside?" The Daimyo paced anxiously. The enormous blasts made the entire island of the Land of Whirlpools tremble, leaving his heart in turmoil.

"Brat, don't let anything happen to you!"

Beside him, a delicate woman with red hair grabbed the Daimyo by the ear and shouted, "If you were worried, why did you let him do something like this? He's still just a child!"

"Easy, easy, let go, dear. There are so many people watching!" Seeing the furious look on his wife's face, the Daimyo hurriedly tried to calm her down. "I didn't want this either. That brat arranged it himself."

"He's grown up, his wings have hardened, and he even dared to order his own father around." The Daimyo gritted his teeth. "When I see him, I'll teach him a lesson for you."

"You dare?!" The woman immediately flew into a rage, her crimson hair flaring wildly as she rolled up her sleeves, ready to hit someone.

"I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you." Seeing that his wife was about to start hitting people, the Daimyo quickly surrendered. "I'll listen to you."

"It's all your fault. If it weren't for your wrong orders, the Land of Whirlpools wouldn't have fallen into this situation." The woman sighed and said through sobs, "Little Xun wouldn't have had to take such a huge risk."

"Ah!" The Daimyo said nothing after hearing his wife's words. This time, they really had been wrong. If they had listened to Little Xun from the beginning, played along with Konoha, acted foolish, and refused to send support to Konoha, perhaps the Land of Whirlpools would not have ended up in such trouble.

"Are you really not going to the underground shelter?" the Daimyo asked. "Although it's safe here too, this is still the military headquarters."

The woman firmly shook her head and said resolutely, "I was a Chunin back then too. I can help."

"Daimyo, a ninja has arrived outside," an Uzumaki ninja suddenly came in and reported.

"An enemy, or an Uzumaki ninja?" the Daimyo cried out. Had this place been discovered? If that was true, they were in trouble. Wouldn't that mean something had gone wrong on the front lines? They had to move immediately.

"An Uzumaki ninja. Chunin Uzumaki Naiba," the ninja replied.

From the Uzumaki Clan! He had no idea who Uzumaki Naiba was, but as long as he was from the Uzumaki Clan, that was enough.

"Let's go," the Daimyo called out. He needed to ask how that brat was doing.

"Yes!"

"Ninja-sama." Uzumaki Kanko watched as an Uzumaki ninja casually tossed an unconscious Uzumaki ninja onto the floor. She asked worriedly, "What happened to him?"

Were all ninja like this? Even when their own companions were injured, did they treat them this way? Wouldn't throwing him straight onto the ground cause problems?

"This brat is a disgrace to the Uzumaki Clan." Uzumaki Naiba said angrily, "He actually knocked himself unconscious." As an Uzumaki clansman, with such immense Chakra and vitality, he had been knocked out by just two waves of Explosive Tags. It was damn embarrassing. Couldn't he see that the people from the other squads were looking at their squad with amused expressions?

What a humiliation!

How were they supposed to show their faces as a squad now?

"Huh?" Uzumaki Kanko looked at Uzumaki Naiba in confusion. What was he talking about? He knocked himself unconscious? Was he a new ninja who fainted at the sight of blood? After hesitating as she looked at the Uzumaki ninja lying on the floor, she decided to drag him onto a hospital bed.

"Just leave him alone." Uzumaki Naiba said indignantly. "Let him lie on the floor." So what if he was unconscious? If they were not going to be running all over the place later, and he wasn't worried that leaving him alone might put him in danger, he would not even have bothered with him. Besides, Prince Xun had arranged it this way. During the initial safe period, if anything unexpected happened, they were to immediately send them to the medical room. This was also only the first half of the war. If it were during intense fighting, to avoid exposing the command center and medical department, they would simply...

Abandon him.

"But, but..." Uzumaki Kanko looked at the unconscious Uzumaki ninja with hesitation and said unwillingly, "That's not right."

"Don't bother—" Just as Uzumaki Naiba impatiently waved his hand—

"How's the situation? Is that brat all right?" The Daimyo's anxious voice rang out.

"Daimyo!" Uzumaki Naiba quickly bowed respectfully.

"Enough, enough. Hurry up and tell me, what's going on outside?" The Daimyo impatiently stopped Uzumaki Naiba from bowing. "Hurry and tell me!"

Uzumaki Naiba thought for a moment, then described the current situation. "Because of Prince Xun's plan..."

The Daimyo laughed as he listened. "Hahaha, as expected of my son." He said happily to his wife, "That kid takes after me. He's been smart since he was little."

"Hm?" Uzumaki Meiling narrowed her eyes.

The Daimyo immediately gave an awkward laugh and waved his hands. "He takes after you, takes after you. He's as beautiful and smart as you."

"How is Xun Uzumaki?" Uzumaki Meiling hurriedly looked at Uzumaki Naiba and asked anxiously, "Was he hurt? Did anyone bully him?"

"Prince Xun is fine." At the mention of Xun Uzumaki, admiration appeared in Uzumaki Naiba's eyes. "I heard that he and the Clan Head completely wiped out Kirigakure's fleet."

"It's good that he's fine, good that he's fine." The Daimyo's worried heart finally relaxed, and he said proudly, "As expected of my—"

"Hm?" Uzumaki Meiling narrowed her eyes.

"Your son, your son. He's your son."

He could not afford to provoke her, absolutely not.

"Cough, cough." The Daimyo gave two fake coughs and pointed at the unconscious Uzumaki ninja on the floor. "Who is this?" Was he injured? If he was injured, why had he been tossed straight onto the floor?

Uzumaki Naiba explained with a headache, muttering, "What a disgrace to the Uzumaki Clan."

"Hmph!" The Daimyo snorted. "No matter what, he contributed to the Land of Whirlpools. As his teammate, you should not treat him like this."

"Hurry up and carry him inside."

"Yes!" Hearing the displeasure in the Daimyo's voice, Uzumaki Naiba quickly replied. Then he lifted the unconscious Uzumaki ninja and carried him inside.

After hearing the intelligence from the front lines, the tension in the Daimyo and Uzumaki Meiling's hearts finally eased.

"It's good that he's fine, good that he's fine."

"Report, Hokage-sama. The Senju Clan on the front lines acted without authorization and went to support the Land of Whirlpools."

After hearing the reporting ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi waved him away, then turned to look at the current Senju Clan Head—Kōmoku Senju.

"That bastard actually dared to act without authorization and disregard Hokage-sama's orders. He deserves death!" Kōmoku Senju roared angrily. He respectfully bowed to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "My apologies. I'll return immediately, expel him from the clan registry, and send Senju clansmen to capture him and bring him back."

"Forget it." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand and said helplessly, "Let it go this time. Just remember to restrain your clansmen and don't let them disregard orders." Send people to capture him? What if they ran off to the Land of Whirlpools too?

Fortunately, not many people had gone to the Land of Whirlpools, so they would not have much impact on the battle. At most, they would cause Kirigakure a little trouble. Besides...

Who could say that Konoha had not sent support? Konoha loved peace and worked hard to protect its allies' interests. Hadn't they even sent out Konoha's greatest clan, the Senju Clan?

"You may leave," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Kōmoku Senju respectfully withdrew.

Watching Kōmoku Senju's retreating back, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and sighed softly. "The Senju Clan... ah!"

In front of the Hokage Building.

"How did it go, Clan Head? Are we sending support to the Land of Whirlpools?" A Senju clansman called out loudly when he saw the Senju Clan Head emerge.

"Quiet." Kōmoku Senju shouted. "We'll talk after we return."

"Yes!"

Kōmoku Senju gazed at the Hokage Building and sighed inwardly. Lord Hashirama, Lord Tobirama, were your decisions truly right?

"Konoha has already..."

Changed!!!

This cough is really unbearable!! I coughed until seven in the morning last night before it eased up a little, then woke up coughing again after ten. After thinking it over, I went to the hospital. After a whole set of examinations, I spent over a thousand yuan, and then... "There are no other issues. It's just bronchitis. Get an injection and nebulization treatment. Let's do it for three days first and see." By then it was almost three in the afternoon, so I had to spend more money on an IV drip. It lasted until around six-thirty. I got home at nearly seven, ate dinner, and then posted this update. I really can't write a second chapter now. I'm too tired!! I'll owe it for now and make it up later. Going to rest first!!!